Arminell, a social romance. Baring-Gould Sabine

your calibre, you with theological, she with social questions; but you are unlike in this, that you take your perplexities easily, Arminell goes into a fever over hers."

      "It is a bitter sorrow to me that I cannot influence her," said Lady Lamerton humbly. "But I believe that no one devoid of definite opinions could acquire power over her. I see that so much can be said, and said with justice on all sides of every question, that all my opinions remain, and ever will remain, in abeyance."

      "I sincerely trust that the minx will not fall under the influence of those who are opinionated."

      "Arminell is young, vehement, and, as is usual with the young, indisposed to make allowance for those who oppose what commends itself to her mind, or for those who do not leap at conclusions with the same activity as herself."

      ​"And she is pert!" said Lord Lamerton. "Upon my soul, Julia, it is going a little too far to take me to task for having been twice married. And again, when I said something about my being content with the providential ordering of the world, she caught me up and told me that anyone with a coronet and fifty thousand a year would say the same. I have not that sum this year anyhow. Girls nowadays are born without the bump of reverence, and with that of self-assurance unduly developed."

      Neither spoke for a few minutes.

      Presently Lord Lamerton, who was looking depressed, and was listening, said:

      "Hark! Is that Giles crying again?"

      "I heard nothing."

      "Possibly it was but my fancy. Poor little fellow. Something has upset him. It was unfortunate, Julia, our lighting on 'Sintram.'"

      He stood up.

      "I am not easy about the dear little creature. Did you see, Julia, how he kissed me and clung to me?"

      "He is very fond of you, Lamerton."

      "And I of him. I think I shall be more easy if I go up and see our Sintram, and learn whether he is asleep, or whether the bad dreams are threatening him. Poor little Sintram!"

      "You will come back, Lamerton?"

      "Yes, dear, when I have seen and kissed my little Sintram."